Multiple Sclerosis in Brief
Basics
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Sclerosis is a Greek word meaning hardening of tissue or scars.
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MS is not contagious.
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Diagnosis of MS is usually between 20 and 40 years of age.
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Among young adults, MS is the most common disease of the central nervous system.
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MS is not inherited or genetically transmitted, although there does seem to be some genetic susceptibility to the disease.
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MS does not significantly affect life span.
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MS is a progressive disease for which there is not yet a cure.
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Increased understanding of MS has led to the development of many new treatments that target both the disease process and its many symptoms.
Facets of MS
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There are four types of MS: relapsing-remitting, secondary-progressive, primary progressive and progressive relapsing.
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About 85 percent of those who are newly diagnosed have the relapsing-remitting form of MS.
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The course of the disease is unpredictable and no two people will experience the same set of symptoms.
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Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS.
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Without disease-modifying therapy, about 50 percent of those diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS will become progressive at 10 years.
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Without disease-modifying therapy, about one-third of those diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS will be using a wheelchair at 20 years.
By the numbers
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An estimated 2,500,000 around the world have MS.
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In countries further from the equator, the incidence of MS increases.
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More than 400,000 people in the United States have MS.
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About 45 percent of the people with MS are not severely affected by the disease.
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MS affects more women than men, with a ratio of 2:1.
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